the sign and the seal.pdf

7/27/2019 The Sign and the Seal.pdf

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D!ring the disc!ssions on Tana $irkos a comment that the priest had made to me !st )e ore he had got to his main point had aro!sed my c!riosity5 That comment the implicationo 8hich I no8 8anted to in(estigate !rther in the li)rary at the Instit!te o .thiopian +t!dies had )een to do 8ith the ro!te that the Ark had ollo8ed on its o!rney to .thiopia5 A ter )eingstolen rom the Temple o +olomon in Eer!salem% the priest had said% it had irst )een carri.gypt and rom there had )een )ro!ght to Lake Tana )y 8ay o the ,ile and the Taka e ri(ers5Despite all the research that I had done d!ring the pre(io!s e8 months% I reali ed that I hne(er gi(en serio!s consideration to the ?!estion o enelik@s itinerary5 I there ore 8anted to 8hat the $e)ra ,agast had to say on the matter5 I also 8anted to kno8 i there 8as anything in itthat speci ically contradicted the priest@s assertion that the Ark had spent eight h!ndred yearTana $irkos )e ore )eing taken to A9!m5

The only rele(ant in ormation that I co!ld ind in the great epic 8as contained in Chapte045 There it 8as reported that enelik and his tra(elling companions had )ro!ght the sacred relicto a place called De)ra akeda a ter their arri(al in .thiopia5


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!nsal(aesche5


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they had arri(ed at a great ri(er; @Let !s let do8n the 8agons%@ they said at this point% @ orcome to the 8ater o .thiopia5 This is the Taka e 8hich lo8eth do8n rom .thiopia and8atereth the (alley o .gypt5@


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shores o(ergro8n 8ith reeds that pro(ide an ideal ha)itat or storks% pelicans% 8ild d!cks% gand ish eagles as 8ell as or great n!m)ers o hippopotami5

>!r destination% a ter the t8o-ho!r dri(e rom Addis A)a)a% 8as a etty on the so!theside o the lake5 Here 8e had )een told that the inistry o isheries o8ned and operated n!m)er o )oats% one o 8hich 8o!ld s!rely )e pro(ided or !s at minimal cost5 :redicta)ly%ho8e(er% all the larger (essels had gone ishing5 >nly a single small motor)oat 8as a(aila)le and there 8as no !el or its o!t)oard engine5

A lengthy pala(er ollo8ed 8ith the inistry sta 8ho e9plained that the motor)oat8asn@t really )ig eno!gh to take 'ichard% ohannes and me as 8ell as a pilot5 De)ra ion% island to 8hich I had )een told that the Ark had )een )ro!ght or sa ekeeping in the tenthcent!ry% 8as distant; at least a three-ho!r o!rney in this h!m)le cra t5 !rthermore% 8ith no dto shelter !nder% 8e 8o!ld )e grie(o!sly a licted )y the s!n5 :erhaps% there ore% 8e 8o!ld cto come )ack tomorro8 8hen more s!ita)le transport co!ld )e arranged7

ohannes (ehemently declined this s!ggestion5 :ro essor :ankh!rst and r Hancock% he

said% had important appointments in Addis A)a)a tomorro8 appointments 8hich co!ld not!nder any circ!mstances )e altered5 #e m!st% there ore% reach De)ra ion today5

ore disc!ssions ollo8ed and e(ent!ally 8e trooped along the etty and sate9perimentally in the tiny motor)oat5 Arranged aro!nd its sides 8e did more or less it into ialtho!gh o!r com)ined 8eight orced it rather lo8 in the 8ater5

#hat to do7 The isheries o icials seemed d!)io!s )!t at last agreed to let !s ha(e o!r8ay5 The (essel 8as o!rs5 They 8o!ld pro(ide a pilot5 And there 8o!ld )e no charge5 #e%ho8e(er% 8o!ld ha(e to arrange or the !el o!rsel(es5 :erhaps 8e co!ld send o!r dri(er into thenearest to8n 8ith a errycan7

#e did this5 A (ast and completely ine9plica)le delay then ens!ed5 >ne ho!r passed5Then another5 Gro8ing impatient I stood at the end o the etty and made the ac?!aintancese(eral mara)o! storks; h!ge% l!g!)rio!s% long-)eaked% )ald-headed )irds o)(io!sly descended

rom pterodactyls5 inally o!r dri(er ret!rned 8ith the necessary !el and !st a ter 11 a5m58e started !p the o!t)oard motor and set o 5

#e p!ttered% (ery slo8ly% thro!gh the rippling 8aters% passing one densely 8oodeisland% then another5 The reed- ringed shoreline receded and then disappeared )ehind !s% 8as no sign o De)ra ion% the s!n 8as no8 directly o(erhead% and the )oat 8as leaking in small )!t noticea)le 8ay5

At this point ohannes Berhan! rather pointedly reminded !s that the lake 8as !ll ohippopotami


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The o!rney to De)ra ion did not take as long as 8e had )een told it 8o!ldJ ne(erthelessit took ?!ite long eno!gh and I 8as the irst on to dry land 8hen 8e inally arri(ed5 I dashed pasthe delegation o monks 8aiting to greet !s% disappeared )ehind the nearest )!sh and emergeagain some min!tes later eeling (ery m!ch )etter5

#hen I re oined the others% 8ho 8ere deep in con(ersation 8ith the 8elcomingcommittee% I noticed a n!m)er o papyr!s-reed )oats lined !p along the shore5 They seemidentical in e(ery respect to those I had seen on Lake Tana5 I 8as on the point o asking a)othis 8hen ohannes interr!pted my chain o tho!ght )y anno!ncing e9citedly; @Graham5 Theresomething strange here5 It seems that the mother-tong!e o these people is Tigrigna5@

This 8as strange indeed5 #e 8ere no8 in the so!thern part o the pro(ince o +hoa% aAmharic-speaking area5 Tigrigna% on the other hand% 8as the lang!age o the sacred ciA9!m and o the pro(ince o Tigray h!ndreds o miles to the north5 I kne8 rom diree9perience that .thiopia 8as a co!ntry in 8hich regional distinctions% partic!larly ling!isticdistinctions% had (ery pro o!nd implications


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@#hich ta)ot7@

@They say it 8as the ta)ot rom the Ch!rch o +aint ary o ion in A9!m5@

@By that do they mean the original ta)ot that 8as )ro!ght )y enelik rom Eer!salem t.thiopia7 The Ark o the Co(enant in other 8ords5 >r do they ha(e some other ta)ot in mind7 8ant to )e a)sol!tely dear on this point5@

ohannes man !lly pl!nged into this mine ield o interpretation 8hile 8e carried on8alking !p the steep hill5 !ch arg!ment and de)ate ollo8ed )e ore he inally commented; @do not think they are (ery clear themsel(es5 B!t they say that it is 8ritten 5 5 5 that it is all 8rittin a )ook% kept here in the ch!rch% and that 8e sho!ld disc!ss the 8hole matter 8ith their senio priest5@

+T>L., HI+T>'

i(e min!tes later 8e arri(ed at the ch!rch 8hich% I 8as not entirely s!rprised todisco(er% 8as dedicated to +aint ary o ion5 It 8as a plain and !npretentio!s 8attle-and-da!) )!ilding% 8hite8ashed on the o!tside and s!rmo!nted )y a simple cross5 The (ie8 that itcommanded rom its position on the hilltop 8as% ho8e(er% s!per)% gi(ing !s some idea oe9tent o this large island5 Behind !s% rom the direction 8e had come% the path 8o!nd thro!gh ields dotted 8ith the poor h!ts o peasant armers5 Ahead o !s the land sloped steea8ay to the lake@s edge thro!gh a orest o acacia trees and cact!s5

The senior priest% A))a Ge)ra Christos% no8 presented himsel 5 A small 8iry m pro)a)ly in his late si9ties% he 8ore a thin grey )eard and a thread)are t8o-piece s!it% aro!nd thsho!lders o 8hich he had draped a length o 8hite cotton cloth in traditional highland ashioHis manner 8as 8elcoming and genial eno!gh )!t there 8as also a o9y and calc!lating looka)o!t him that seemed to ore)ode imminent inancial transactions5

I ner(o!sly ingered the greasy 8ad o )irr that I had st! ed into my pocket )e olea(ing Addis and resol(ed to pay only or high-?!ality in ormation5 Then% making as little sand dance as possi)le% I s8itched on my tape-recorder and asked my irst ?!estion; did he knthe story o ho8 enelik had a)d!cted the ark o the Co(enant rom the Temple o +olomon Eer!salem7

es% ohannes translated% o co!rse he did5

And did he kno8 8hat had happened ne9t7

enelik% the priest replied% had )ro!ght the Ark to .thiopia 8here it remained to this day

@Is he s!re@% I asked @that this 8as the original Ark o the Co(enant% containingCommandments inscri)ed on the Ta)lets o +tone )y the inger o God7@

ohannes p!t the ?!estion and A))a Ge)ra Christos replied gra(ely; @ es5 I am s!re5@


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@>$5 Good5 ,o8 tell me 5 5 5 8as this same original Ark e(er )ro!ght here to Lake 8a to De)ra ion7@

@ es%@ said the priest% @at the time o G!dit the Ark 8as )ro!ght ere rom A9!m5@

@B!t 8hy 8as it )ro!ght here7@ I asked5 @I mean% 8hy here7 #hy s!ch a long 8ay7 +there m!st ha(e )een h!ndreds o secret places 8here it co!ld ha(e )een hidden in Tigray7@

@Listen 5 5 5 This G!dit 5 5 5 she 8as a de(il5 +he )!rned many ch!rches in Tigray5 Aother regions o .thiopia5 It 8as a time o great ighting% great danger5 >!r ore athers 8erem!ch a raid that she 8o!ld capt!re the Ark5 +o they )ro!ght it o!t o A9!m and they carried it to

8ai 8here they kne8 that it 8o!ld )e sa e5 They tra(elled only )y night% hiding )y day inorests and in ca(es5 They 8ere (ery m!ch a raid% I tell yo! B!t in this 8ay they e(aded h

soldiers and they )ro!ght the Ark to 8ai and to this island5@

@Do yo! kno8 ho8 long it remained here7@

#ith no hesitation at all A))a Ge)ra Christos replied; @A ter se(enty-t8o years it 8asret!rned )ack to A9!m5@

,o8% I tho!ght% 8as the right time to pop the si9ty- o!r tho!sand dollar ?!estion; @Hthere )een any other occasion@% I asked tentati(ely% @8hen the Ark has )een )ro!ght here agasa ekeeping7 :erhaps recently7@

Again there 8as no hesitation; @,e(er%@

@+o as ar as yo! kno8 it is still in A9!m7@

@ es5@

@.(en no8 8ith all the ighting going on in Tigray7@He shr!gged; @I )elie(e so5 B!t that is only my opinion5 To ind o!t tr!ly yo! m!st as

those in A9!m5@

Another tho!ght no8 occ!rred to me; @#hen 8e 8ere 8alking !p here%@ I said% @somthe monks told !s that yo! ha(e an ancient )ook in 8hich is 8ritten the history o ho8 the Arkcame to De)ra ion in G!dit@s time5 Is that correct7 Do yo! ha(e s!ch a )ook7@

As ohannes translated this ?!estion% the 8i ened eat!res o A))a Ge)ra Christoormed themsel(es into the e9pression o one 8ho has !st tasted something !ne9pectedly so

He responded readily eno!gh% ho8e(er; @ es% there is a )ook5@

@Can 8e see it7@

A momentary hesitation% then; @ es 5 5 5 B!t the part concerning the Ark is no lothere5@

@I@m sorry5 I don@t ollo85 #hat do yo! mean e9actly7@


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@A)o!t t8enty years ago a certain man came and c!t some pages rom the )ook and toothose pages a8ay 8ith him5 They 8ere the pages in 8hich the story o the Ark 8as told@

@This man5 #as he a oreigner7 >r 8as he an .thiopian7@

@#ell% he 8as an .thiopian5 B!t since that time 8e ha(e not )een a)le to track him do8n5

As I considered the implications o this last ans8er I co!ld not help )!t re lect on the )i arre and con(ol!ted nat!re o the enterprise that I 8as no8 in(ol(ed in5 #as the matter o the!nkno8n man 8ho had c!t an !nkno8n n!m)er o pages rom an !nkno8n )ook something thatsho!ld concern me7 >r 8as it an irrele(ance7 #as I picking !p the traces o someone else@?!est or the Ark o the Co(enant7 >r 8as I dealing simply 8ith a local man!script h!nter 8hot8enty years ago had made a ast )!ck on the anti?!ities market 8ith the sale o a e8ill!minated olios7

I s!spected that I might ne(er kno85 :!rs!ing the Ark thro!gh .thiopia 8as t!rning o!tto )e ar more da!nting and di ic!lt than I had e(er imagined5 Indeed it 8as something li p!rs!ing a ghost thro!gh a ma e5 A(en!es that seemed promising and open rom one perspectit!rned o!t% on closer e9amination% to )e impassa)le dead endsJ )y contrast apparent dead enhad more than once trans ormed themsel(es into paths to !nderstanding5

I sighed% re oc!ssed my mind on the immediate iss!e% and told A))a Ge)ra Christos te(en i the most important pages 8ere missing% I 8o!ld still (ery m!ch like to see the )ook thahe had mentioned5 :erhaps he 8o!ld allo8 !s to photograph it7

This s!ggestion prod!ced a l!rry o ner(o!s o) ections5 ,o% the old priest said% he conot possi)ly let !s do that5 :hotographs 8ere o!t o the ?!estion !nless speci ic 8ritten permission 8ere gi(en )y the :atriarch o the .thiopian >rthodo9 Ch!rch in Addis A)a)a5 Did8e )y any chance ha(e s!ch @emission@7

,o% 8e did not5

Then% regret !lly% 8e co!ld not photograph the )ook5 #e co!Id% ho8e(er% see it i8as 8hat 8e 8anted5

I indicated that 8e 8o!ld )e grate !l e(en or that small mercy5

Ge)ra Christos nodded sagely% led !s inside his ch!rch and 5 5 5 Liked o(er to a c!p)oanear the )ack o the h!m)le )!ilding5

A tremendo!s pantomime ens!ed as he searched in all his pockets or the necessary ke 8hich% a ter some moments% he con essed that he co!ld not ind5

A yo!ng deacon 8as then s!mmoned and sent o some8here5 Ten min!tes later% pantiand o!t o )reath% the )oy ret!rned cl!tching a )!ndle o at least t8enty keys5 >ne a ter anoththese 8ere tried in the lock and e(ent!ally to my considera)le s!rprise the door 8asopened5 The c!p)oard% ho8e(er% 8as almost )are and the one )ook that it contained pro(ed to an early t8entieth-cent!ry 8ork donated to the ch!rch )y :rincess a!dit!% the da!ghter o.mperor enelik II5


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At this point A))a Ge)ra Christos s!ddenly remem)ered an important act; theman!script 8e 8anted to see 8as not in the ch!rch a ter all5 A e8 8eeks ago he himsel hadtaken it to the repository% 8hich 8as in a separate )!ilding some distance a8ay5 I 8e 8o!ld likto accompany him he 8o!ld sho8 it to !s there5

I looked at my 8atch% decided there 8as !st eno!gh time )e ore 8e had to lea(e theisland% and ga(e my assent to this plan5 A lengthy hike ollo8ed and 8e e(ent!ally arri(ed atrather decrepit stone-)!ilt t8o-storey ho!se5 The priest !shered !s grandly into a dank and m!styrear room% aro!nd the 8alls o 8hich 8ere arranged do ens o 8ooden chests and garish painted tin tr!nks5 A ter a moment o indecision he ad(anced to8ards one o these tr!nks athre8 )ack its lid re(ealing a pile o )ooks 8ithin5 He li ted o!t the topmost o these a8eighty tome 8ith pages made o c!red sheepskin and passed it o(er to me5

'ichard :ankh!rst and ohannes cro8ded ro!nd as I opened the (ol!me5 Theyimmediately con irmed that it 8as 8ritten in Ge@e 5 oreo(er it 8as !ndo!)tedly (ery old@ rom the style o the ill!minations% and rom the )inding% I 8o!ld g!ess thirteenth cen(ol!nteered 'ichard5 @It@s certainly not later than the o!rteenth cent!ry5 There@s no do!)t than early 8ork5 :ro)a)ly (ery (al!a)le5@

.agerly 8e )egan to t!rn the pages5 At no point% ho8e(er% 8as there any indication thaanything had )een remo(ed5 As ar as 8e co!ld tell the man!script 8as intact5 #e pointed thiso!t to A))a Ge)ra Christos% 8ho had )een standing silently 8atching !s% and asked him 8hethehe 8as a)sol!tely certain that this 8as the )ook he had talked to !s a)o!t5

As it t!rned o!t% it 8as not5 Apologetically the old priest then r!mmaged in a n!m)er oother )o9es aro!nd the room% passing !s a series o ancient man!scripts5

@It@s ?!ite ama ing%@ 'ichard commented at one point5 @+o many old )ooks5 A reatro(e5 And they@re !st lying here in complete disarray5 They co!ld get damp5 They co!ldstolen5 Anything co!ld happen to them5 I 8ish 8e co!ld mo(e the 8hole lot o them to theInstit!te5@

The last (ol!me 8e looked at 8as a 8ood-)o!nd and )ea!ti !lly ill!minated copy o the.thiopian Book o +aints5 It too 8as intact5 #hen 8e had inished going thro!gh it 'ichardn!dged me in the ri)s; @1 think%@ he said% @that 8e@re not getting any8here here5@

I nodded; @I think yo!@re right5 And it@s really late5 #e@d )etter go or 8e@ll end !to cross the 8hole lake in the dark5@

Be ore lea(ing% ho8e(er% I asked ohannes to make a inal attempt to get some senseo the priest5 #as the )ook that told the story o the Ark really here or not7

Certainly it 8as here% A))a Ge)ra Christos insisted5 > co!rse it 8as here5 The onl pro)lem 8as that he 8as no longer certain in 8hich )o9 he had placed it5 I 8e 8o!ld care to8ait !st a little longer he 8as s!re that he co!ld locate it 5 5 5

This 8as an o er that I elt sa e in declining5 It seemed to me that the old man 8as )edeli)erately e(asi(e and i that 8ere the case then pres!ma)ly it meant that he 8as hiding


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ig!res 1&-3"

I closed my note)ook and looked !p at 'ichard and ohannes5 @Do yo! think there@s a possi)ility%@ I asked% @that the go(ernment 8ill ha(e capt!red A9!m )y Ean!ary7 I@d reallyget there in time to attend the ne9t Timkat5@

IG '.+ 1&-3"

ohannes said nothing5 'ichard made a ace; @A nice idea5 B!t yo! might as 8ell plan ly to the moon5@

@#ell%@ I said% @it 8as !st a tho!ght5@

It 8as a ter dark 8hen 8e inally moored the motor)oat at the inistry o isheries ettyand almost 1 p5m5 )y the time 8e reached the spra8ling o!tskirts o Addis A)a)a5 #einstr!cted o!r dri(er to head or ohannes@s o ice in the centre o to8n 8here 8e had parko!r cars that morning


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+atis ied 8ith this arrangement% and determined to )ring !p the ?!estion o Timkat aA9!m despite 'ichard@s pessimism% I le t the hotel and dro(e ro!nd to the Instit!te o .thiop+t!dies5

y research on #ednesday the 22nd had esta)lished the pla!si)ility o the ,ileNTaka ero!te mentioned in the $e)ra ,agast and also )y the priest on Tana $irkos5@


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It 8o!ld ha(e )een di ic!lt to ind more telling s!pport or my hypothesis that this 8ith the !ni?!e impet!s pro(ided )y the presence o the Ark on Tana $irkos had )een precisely the area in 8hich the con(ersion o nati(e A)yssinians to >ld Testament E!daism had )een concentrated5 >n the )asis o my o8n research !r people are (ery traditional% as yo! kno8% and there 8o!ld ha(e )een an e9plosion i any go(ernment o icial had e(er in(ol(ed himsel in s!ch a matter5@

@Do yo! think the T:L ha(e the same attit!de7@ I asked5 @,o8 that they control A9!mmean5@


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The :olit)!ro mem)er shr!gged; @That is not or me to say5 B!t they are not reno8ned their religio!s sensiti(ities5 5 5@

I 8as a little hesitant a)o!t p!tting my ne9t ?!estion% )!t did so any8ay; @I@m sorry i so!nds impertinent%@ I said% @)!t I@(e got to ask5 Is there any chance at all that yo!r side is8in the city )ack in the immediate !t!re7@

@#hy do yo! ask7@

@Beca!se I@(e come to the concl!sion that I@m going to ha(e to go there mysel 5 In like to get there or the ne9t Timkat cele)rations5@

@ o! mean this coming Ean!ary7@

I nodded my head5

@Impossi)le%@ said +himelis latly5 @Besides% 8hy )e in s!ch a h!rry7 I yo! are rthe Ark has already )een in o!r co!ntry or three millennia5 In another year% t8o at the most%

8ill recapt!re A9!m and 8hen 8e do I think I can promise that yo! 8ill )e the irst oreignerinto the city5 +o )e patient5 o! 8ill get yo!r chance5@

I had to admit that this 8as so!nd ad(ice5 In a co!ntry like .thiopia patience 8as almostal8ays a (irt!e5 I 8as not prepared to 8ait t8o years% ho8e(er5 I there ore silently resol(ed toaim or A9!m not in Ean!ary 1 % )!t in Ean!ary 1 15 The con idence that +himelis had shad impressed me and I hoped (ery m!ch that the sacred city 8o!ld )e )ack in go(ernmenthands )y then5 ean8hile% ho8e(er !st as a preca!tion I tho!ght that I might also try toopen !p some dialog!e 8ith the T:L 5 I had hitherto a(oided the re)els )!t it no8 seemed to methat it might )e in my interests to make some preliminary o(ert!res in their direction5

I looked across the ta)le at +himelis5 @ o!@re right o co!rse%@ I said5 @B!t 8o!ld i I asked yo! another a(o!r7@

#ith an elo?!ent hand gest!re% the :olit)!ro mem)er indicated that I sho!ld go ahead5

@I@d still like to attend a Timkat ceremony%@ I contin!ed% @and since A9!m is o)(o the ?!estion I 8as 8ondering 8hether I might )e a)le to go to Gondar this Ean!ary instead5@

Beside me 'ichard co!ghed politely5 The city that I had !st named 8as reportedly )esieged )y re)el orces and there had )een r!mo!rs that it might all any day5

@#hy Gondar7@ +himelis asked5

@Beca!se it@s in the Lake Tana area 8hich% as I said% I@(e identi ied as )eing associated 8ith the early history o the Ark in this co!ntry5 And )eca!se I !nderstand that manalashas still li(e in and aro!nd Gondar5 I remem)er passing thro!gh Ee8ish (illages !st nort

o the city 8ay )ack in 1 03% )!t I didn@t ha(e a chance to carry o!t any proper inter(ie8s at ttime5 +o 8hat I@d like to do% i it@s >$ 8ith yo!% is kill t8o )irds 8ith one stone5 I@d like tTimkat in Gondar5 And 8hile I@m there I@d like to carry o!t some research amongst the alas


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@It may )e possi)le%@ replied +himelis5 @It depends on the military sit!ation% )!t it possi)le5 I shall look into it and let yo! kno85@

CHA:T.' 11

A,D DA6ID DA,C.D

B. >'. TH. A'$5 5 5

>n 10 and 1 Ean!ary 1** the +cottish ad(ent!rer Eames Br!ce had ?!ietly attended theTimkat ceremonials in A9!m and% as o!tlined in Chapter *% I )elie(ed that he had done soorder to get as close as possi)le to the Ark o the Co(enant5

.9actly t8o h!ndred and t8enty years later on 10 and 1 Ean!ary 1 I attended

Timkat in the city o Gondar to the north o Lake Tana5 oreo(er% altho!gh I had not shared tr!e eelings 8ith either 'ichard :ankh!rst or 8ith +himelis a engia% I sa8 this trip as )eing o pi(otal signi icance to my ?!est5

Immersed as I 8as in the great historical mystery that connected the Ark to .thiopia% had )ecome clear to me that sooner or later% someho8 or other% I 8as going to ha(e to go )ackA9!m5 I had resol(ed to try to make that ha ardo!s (isit in Ean!ary 1 1 and to make it !ndethe a!spices o the re)els i necessary5 I there ore sa8 Gondar as a cr!cial @dry r!n@; the c point to A9!m still in go(ernment hands% it 8as also% like A9!m% a ormer capital o .thiopiimportant historic site and a centre o religio!s learning5 In s!ch a setting% I reasoned% I mhope to prepare mysel spirit!ally and psychologically or the real ordeal that lay ahead%

amiliari e mysel 8ith aspects o the same arcane rit!als that Br!ce m!st ha(e 8itnessed i1** % to gather s!ch intelligence as I co!ld% and to ?!icken my commitment to the ?!est5

This% ho8e(er% 8as not the only (oice 8ithin me5 >ther% less stead ast tho!ghts a passed thro!gh my mind and I co!ld see the possi)ility o a di erent o!tcome5 I % or e9am8ere to disco(er anything at Gondar 8hich cast serio!s do!)t on the legitimacy o .thiopia@claim to )e the last resting place o the Ark then might I not 8ith hono!r a)andon my planto go to A9!m in 1 17

This 8as a dist!r)ing )!t oddly sed!cti(e notion to 8hich I o!nd mysel increasinglyattracted as the date o the Gondar trip approached5 That trip itsel 8as or a 8hile in do!)t indeed it 8as not !ntil 0 Ean!ary 1 that I inally recei(ed a tele9 rom +himelis con irm

that the necessary permission had )een o)tained rom the military a!thorities5

'IDDL.+ T> +>L6.


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I kne8 that I co!ld e9pect a central eat!re o the Timkat ceremonies to )e the carrying i procession o the ta)otat the sym)ols or replicas o the Ark o the Co(enant normally kept the Holy o Holies o e(ery .thiopian ch!rch5 > co!rse in Gondar I 8o!ld not see the o) ec8hich the .thiopians claimed to )e the Ark itsel rthodo9 calendar5I had )een a8are or some time that Timkat meant @.piphany@ a holy day associated

the 8estern ch!rch 8ith the mani estation o Christ to the Gentiles5


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I 8as determined not to miss this chance; the riddle o ho8 there had e(er come to )eEe8s indigeno!s% )lack Ee8s in the heart o .thiopia 8as intimately connected to theenigma o the Holy ArkJ sol(e one% I elt% and I 8o!ld sol(e the other5

,either 8ere the alashas the only ethnic gro!p o interest to me in the Gondar area5 Inthe 8eek o research that I had done !st prior to my depart!re rom .ngland I had t!rned !p aintrig!ing re erence to another people a people kno8n as the /emant 8ho 8ere descri)ed as@He)raeo-:agans@ in the single anthropological paper 8ritten a)o!t them5,. G>D A,D TH. .TI+H T'..

In his st!dy o the /emant Gamst had mentioned that he had )een )e riended )y areligio!s leader 8ho had helped him enormo!sly 8ith his ield 8ork in the 1 & s5 The name this dignitary% I kne8% 8as !l!na arsha and his title 8as #am)ar


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Timkat% 8hich I shall descri)e later in this chapter% took !p all o my attention or theo Th!rsday and all o riday5 .arly in the a ternoon o +at!rday 2 Ean!ary% ho8e(er%

inally a)le to set o or Aykel in the Toyota Landcr!iser that the :arty had p!t at my disposIn addition to the dri(er% I 8as accompanied )y Legesse Desta the yo!ng and enth!siastico icial 8ho 8as acting as my interpreter and )y t8o do!r soldiers armed 8ith $alashniko(

assa!lt ri les5As 8e )!mped along the ro!gh% graded track thro!gh glo8ing ields and golden-)ro8n

hills I st!died the ichelin map o the Horn o A rica that I no8 took e(ery8here 8ith me5 I 8ainterested to note that o!r destination lay not ar rom the head8aters o the At)ara ri(er 8hicrose a)o!t i ty miles to the north-8est o Lake Tana and lo8ed rom there into the +!da8here it 8as e(ent!ally oined )y the Taka e )e ore merging 8ith the ,ile !st a)o(e the i thCataract5

Beca!se it passed so close to Tana $irkos% and )eca!se it 8as speci ically mentioned inthe $e)ra ,agast% the Taka e itsel still looked to me like the strongest contender or the roo the Ark5 ,e(ertheless it 8as clear rom the map that tra(ellers ollo8ing the At)ara 8o!ldalso ha(e arri(ed in this same general area5 I considered the implications o this and theremarked in my o!rnal;

The ri(ers are roads thro!gh the desert5 In the case o And Da(id danced )e ore the Ar243

.thiopia all these @roads@ 8hether the Taka e% the At)ara% or the Bl!e ,ile seemlead to Lake Tana5 The alashas


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@Do yo! kno8 8here it 8as7@

@It 8as ar 5 5 5 It 8as in the iddle .ast5@

@Do yo! kno8 the name o this co!ntry7@

@It 8as the land o Canaan5 Anayer 8as the grandson o Canaan 8ho 8as the son o H8ho 8as the son o ,oah5@

I 8as intrig!ed )y this genealogy and )y the aded memory o an ancestral migrationrom the iddle .ast a memory that also s!ggested a common loc!s or the origin o thealasha and the /emant religions5 I co!ld not get the #am)ar to con irm 8hether the @Canaa

that he had re erred to 8as the :romised Land o the Bi)le5 Indeed% despite his amiliarity names like Ham and ,oah% he claimed ne(er to ha(e read the Bi)le5 I )elie(ed him on this poin )!t% at the same time% 8as in no do!)t that there 8as a script!ral )ackgro!nd to 8hat he had !stold me5 Contained in his acco!nt% or e9ample% 8ere echoes o the great trek made )y patriarch A)raham and his 8i e +arah 8ho had led Canaan and @ o!rneyed% going on still tothe so!th@ )eca!se @there 8as amine in the land@5 co!rse5 His name is eadara5@

@#here does he reside7@

@He is e(ery8here5@

A single God then% and an omnipresent one5 I 8as )eginning% already% to see 8hy Ghad characteri ed these people as He)raeo-:agans5 This impression% !rthermore% strengthened )y almost e(erything else that the #am)ar told me d!ring o!r long disc!ssion inthe (illage o Aykel5 I kept detailed notes o that disc!ssion and% a ter my ret!rn to Addis A)made a care !l st!dy o his ans8ers comparing them point )y point 8ith the +cript!res5 >nly8hen I had completed this e9ercise 8as I a)le to appreciate !st ho8 strong and ho8 old theE!daic dimension o /emant religion really 8as5

The #am)ar had told me% or e9ample% that the /emant 8ere or)idden to eat any animthat 8as not clo(en-hoo ed and that did not che8 the c!d5 In addition% he had said% camels


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pigs 8ere regarded as !nclean and 8ere strictly or)idden5 These restrictions accorded per ec8ith those placed !pon the Ee8s in the ele(enth chapter o the >ld Testament )ook oLe(itic!s5


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An)o)er% it straggled across a steep slope in rolling mo!ntaino!s terrain and 8as pop!latedalmost entirely )y 8omen and children% the ma ority o the men olk ha(ing already le tIsrael5

alashas ha(e neither synagog!es nor ra))isJ instead their places o 8orship are calledmesgid and their religio!s o icials kahenat n this occasion I 8as not disappointed; inside the h!m)le )!ilding% at a ro!ghly made8ooden ta)le% a lean% elderly man sat st!dying a copy o the Torah ld Testament character o the religion a8ere (ery m!ch in line 8ith 8hat I had already learned rom my research5 In this conte9t pressed him partic!larly hard on the iss!e o )lood sacri ice% trying to esta)lish 8hy his peopcontin!ed 8ith this practice 8hen Ee8s e(ery8here else had a)andoned it t8o tho!sand years pre(io!sly5 #e )elie(e@% he replied 8ith great con(iction% @that God in his throne o)ser(es tceremonies and is pleased5@

:erhaps +olomon kne8% perhaps he did not% ho8 close this simple statement 8as to (erse in the )ook o Le(itic!s 8hich descri)ed o erings made )y ire as )eing @o a s8eet sa(oto the Lord@5


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:ro essor llendor declined to spec!late as to precisely 8hy the A)yssinians sho!ldha(e a(o!red a pre-Christian model or their Christian ch!rches5 As I stepped into the iam)!latory o edhane Alem% ho8e(er% it seemed to me that the ans8er 8as o)(io!s; the +yriane(angelist r!menti!s% 8ho 8as responsi)le or the con(ersion o the A9!mite kingdom and 8ho8as appointed as .thiopia@s irst arch)ishop )y the Coptic :atriarch o Ale9andria in AD 33

m!st deli)erately ha(e adapted the instit!tions o the ne8 aith to the pre-e9isting E!daictraditions o the co!ntry5


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orth amongst the participants allo8ing the hymn to )!ild to its pondero!s crescendo5 This samsystem% I kne8% had )een an esta)lished part o the Ee8ish lit!rgy in >ld Testament times5


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A ter standing at the door8ay o the ch!rch or some min!tes 8hile the agitation o tcro8d gre8% the priests no8 8heeled and t!rned% making a complete circ!it o the e9teri8alk8ay )e ore descending the light o steps to gro!nd le(el5 The instant that their eet to!chthe earth% the m!ltit!de parted )e ore them creating a path8ay thro!gh 8hich they might pass and the sho!ts and !l!lation% the )lo8ing o tr!mpets% the 8histle o l!tes% the str!mming

lyres% and the ingle o the tam)o!rines )!ilt !p to a pitch that dea ened the ear and illedmind 8ith 8onder5

I ollo8ed as closely as I dared )ehind the gro!p o priests% dra8n along in their t!r)!len8ake5 And tho!gh the people 8ere gathered in their h!ndreds on either side o me% tho!gh ma8ere into9icated either )y millet )eer or )y the t!m!lt% tho!gh I 8as repeatedly ostled% antho!gh more than once I 8as almost knocked o my eet% I did not or a second eel threaor alarmed5

+ometimes !nnelled thro!gh narro8 alley8ays% sometimes spreading o!t across patcheo open land% sometimes stopping ine9plica)ly% sometimes ast% sometimes slo8% al8ays )8ith m!sic and song% 8e progressed thro!gh the ancient city5 And all the time I str!ggled to kemy eyes i9ed on the red and gold 8rappings o the ta)ot% 8hich 8as no8 ar ahead o me5 8hile% as a ne8 horde o re(ellers oined !s rom a side street% I completely lost sight osacred o) ect5 Then standing on tiptoe% craning my neck% I o!nd it and h!rried orDetermined not to )e separated rom it again I scram)led !p a grassy )ank% p!t on a )!rst ospeed% o(ertook a massed )lock o t8o or three h!ndred people% skidded past the priests%l!m)ered )ack do8n on to the road perhaps t8enty yards in ront o them5

Here I o!nd the reason or the c!rio!s stop-start% halting% l!rching motion o m!ltit!de5 In the space ahead o the ta)ot se(eral imprompt! tro!pes o dancers had ormethemsel(es some o mi9ed se9% some all male% some all emale% some dressed in e(e8orking clothes% some in ch!rch (estments5 At the centre o each o these gro!ps 8as

dr!mmer% his ke)ero sl!ng aro!nd his neck% )eating o!t an ancient and sa(age rhythm% 8hirli !mping% t!rning and sho!ting 8hile those aro!nd him e9ploded 8ith energy% leaping agyrating% clapping their hands% )eating tam)o!rines and cym)als% po!ring 8ith s8eat as thcapered and reeled5

,o8% !rged on )y tr!mpet )lasts and )y sho!ts% )y the thr!m o a ten-stringed )egegna


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8ood% e(en on harps% and on psalteries% and on tim)rels% and on cornets% and on cym)als Da(id danced )e ore the Lord 8ith all his might 5 5 5 leaping and dancing )e ore the Lord5


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thro!gh the )ottleneck and arri(ed% slightly da ed% on the 8ide and open la8ns 8ithin thcompo!nd5 In the same second the enormo!s constriction and compression 8as relie(ed and e9perienced a delicio!s sense o reedom5 5 5

The compo!nd 8as rectang!lar in shape and co(ered an area as large as o!r city )locks5+et in the midst o this great grassy space 8as a second 8alled enclos!re a)o!t one-third o thsi e o the irst 8hich in t!rn contained the tall% t!rreted castle that I had glimpsed earlier anto the rear and sides o this str!ct!re% a man-made lake hal illed 8ith 8ater5 The castle ihad )een )!ilt )y .mperor asilidas in the se(enteenth cent!ry and appeared to )e accessi)leonly )y 8ay o a narro8 stone )ridge that passed o(er a deep moat and that led directly to amassi(e 8ooden door8ay set into the ront o the )!ilding5

The cro8d% I noticed% 8as still po!ring thro!gh the narro8 arch8ay that I had negotiatea e8 moments )e ore% and people milled a)o!t apparently aimlessly% greeting one another )oistero!s and high-spirited )onhomie5 > to my right% directly in ront o the castle% agro!p o priests and deacons had gathered and I co!ld see that they no8 carried a total o se(eta)otat5 I there ore s!rmised that processions rom three other Gondarene ch!rches m!st at som point en ro!te ha(e oined 8ith the original o!r that had con(erged in the city@s main s?!aearlier in the a ternoon5

The priests )earing the 8rapped ta)otat on their heads stood in line% sho!lder-to-sho!lderDirectly )ehind them 8ere many more priests 8ho held !p )rightly colo!red ceremonial!m)rellas that 8ere ringed at the edges and decorated 8ith crosses% stars% s!ns% crescent mand other c!rio!s de(ices5 i(e metres to the le t 8ere t8o !rther ro8s o priests% acing eaother% carrying long prayer sticks and sil(er sistra5 And )et8een these latter t8o ro8s sat dr!mmer h!nched o(er his ke)ero5

As I edged closer to get a )etter (ie8% the acing ro8s o priests )egan a slo8 s8ayingdance )e ore the ta)otat a dance acted o!t to the same mesmeri ing rhythm and to the sameantiphonal chanting that I had heard earlier in the ch!rch o edhane Alem5 A e8 momenlater the dance )roke !p as s!ddenly as it had )eg!n% the dancers dispersed and the priest )earing the se(en ta)otat proceeded ma estically on to the stone )ridge that led o(er the moat aninto the castle5 They pa!sed there or a moment% ca!ght in a 8arm ray o light rom descending s!n% and the 8omen in the cro8d ga(e (ent to more 8ild !l!lation5 Then% on oilehinges% the hea(y 8ooden door o the ortress s8!ng silently open a ording me a transiglimpse o the shado8y interior and the ta)otat 8ere carried inside5

Grad!ally% almost gently% the assem)led tho!sands )egan to settle do8n aro!nd thgardens5 +ome had )ro!ght )lankets% others cotton shemmas


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Braced and e9hilarated )y the cold A ro-Alpine air% I sat do8n on the grass% recli pillo8ed my head on my hands and ga ed !p8ards% delighting in the clo!ds o stars that hascended the sky5 y tho!ghts dri ted or a 8hile% then oc!ssed on the so!nd o 8ater g!shsteadily into the lake some8here ?!ite close to 8here I sat5 At almost the same moment% ro8ithin the old castle% a so t cadenced chanting and dr!mming rose !p an eldritch% hea

stopping resonance that 8as at irst so aint and so m!ted that I co!ld )arely make it o!t5I stood and mo(ed closer to the )ridge o(er the moat5 It 8as not my intention to cross it #AT.'

As my research progressed I t!rned !p se(eral pieces o e(idence 8hich seemed to pro(ide strong s!pport or the central hypotheses listed a)o(e% namely that a secret tradition kno8ledge and enlightenment had )een @carried@ and preser(ed 8ithin the c!lt o Thoth tradition that had )een started in the most distant past )y sophisticated immigrants 8ho hads!r(i(ed a lood5 Highly signi icant% in this respect% 8as a (ery strong theme traces o 8hi

o!nd r!nning thro!gh almost all the sacred literat!re 8hich repeatedly associated 8isdom%and other ?!alities o the ci(ili ing hero% 8ith indi(id!als 8ho had )een @sa(ed rom 8ater@5

The irst thing I disco(ered 8as that Thoth% 8ho had )een seen )y the .gyptians as theso!rce o all their kno8ledge and science% had )een credited 8ith ha(ing ca!sed a lood t p!nish h!mankind or 8ickedness5siris5siris% to learn that he had )een @sa(ed rom 8ater@5

The !llest acco!nt o the original .gyptian legend 8as gi(en )y :l!tarchsiris le t .gypt and tra(elled a)o!t the 8orld in

order to )ring the )ene its o ci(ili ation to other nations as 8ell5 He ne(er orced the )ar)ariahe enco!ntered to accept his la8s% pre erring instead to arg!e 8ith them and to appeal to thereason5 It 8as also recorded that he passed on his teaching to them )y means o hymns and sonaccompanied )y m!sical instr!ments5

#hile he 8as a8ay% ho8e(er% he 8as plotted against )y se(enty-t8o mem)ers o hisco!rt led )y his )rother-in-la8 +et5 >n his ret!rn the conspirators in(ited him to a )an?!et 8herea splendid co er o 8ood and gold 8as o ered as a pri e to any g!est 8ho co!ld it inte9actly5 #hat >siris did not kno8 8as that the co er had )een constr!cted precisely to his o8n )ody meas!rements5 As a res!lt% 8hen the assem)led g!ests tried one )y one to get into it the

ailed5 The god-king then took his t!rn and lay do8n com orta)ly inside5 Be ore he had timget o!t the conspirators r!shed or8ard% nailed the lid tightly closed and sealed e(en the crac8ith molten lead so that there 8o!ld )e no air to )reathe5 The co er 8as then cast adri t on th ,ile 8here it loated or some time% e(ent!ally coming to rest in the papyr!s s8amps o theastern Delta5siris% inter(ened5 sing all her great magic aAssisted )y the moon-god Thoth she 8ent to look or the co er% o!nd it% and concealeda secret place5 Her e(il )rother +et% ho8e(er% o!t h!nting in the marshes% disco(ered the loca


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o the co er% opened it% and in a mad !ry c!t the royal corpse into o!rteen pieces 8hich hscattered thro!gho!t the land5

>nce more Isis set o to @sa(e@ her h!s)and5 +he made a small )oat o papyr!s rcoated 8ith )it!men and pitch% and em)arked on the ,ile in search o the remains5 #hen she ha

o!nd them she called again on the aid o Thoth 8ho helped her to 8ork certain po8er !l spel8hich re!nited the dismem)ered parts o the )ody so that it res!med its old orm5 Therea ter%an intact and per ect state% >siris 8ent thro!gh a process o res!rrection to )ecome god o dead and king o the !nder8orld rom 8hich place% the legend had it% he occasionally ret!rto earth in the g!ise o a mortal man5


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.gypt5 The act is that only ,oah% >siris and perhaps Horns )elong to a period o pre-history s! iciently remote to ?!ali y them or that distinction5 +argon% oses% Eonah% anho8e(er


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8hen ci(ili ation and technology in the ,ile 6alley !nder8ent a s!dden and ine9plica)letrans ormation5ther eat!res incl!de an e9tensi(e colonnade 8ith orty tall col!mns% an elegant co!rtyard% n!mero!s shrines% temples and o!t)!ildings all on a colossal scale )!t 8ith clean and delicatelines5


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I 8as a)le to esta)lish that in .gyptian tradition the conception and design o the entireoser comple9 had )een regarded as the 8ork o a single creati(e geni!s Imhotep the B!ilder%

8hose other titles 8ere +age% +orcerer% Architect% High :riest% Astronomer and Doctor5 )ecame interested in this legendary ig!re )eca!se o the great emphasis p!t )y s!)se?!entgenerations on his scienti ic and magical a)ilitiesJ indeed% like >siris% his achie(ements in t

ields 8ere so highly regarded that he 8as e(ent!ally dei ied5 #ith !ni?!ely impressi(eengineering eats s!ch as the oser pyramid to his credit% Imhotep looked to me like an o)(iocandidate or mem)ership o the c!lt o Thoth; the mon!ments at +a??ara seemed elo?!ently con irm that he had assimilated and then p!t )rilliantly into practice the technological de9terit pec!liar to that c!lt5

I 8as there ore e9cited to disco(er that Imhotep 8as o ten characteri ed in inscriptions a@the image and likeness o Thoth@


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o the ,ile% the same monarch had also commissioned a massi(e mort!ary temple that had latcome to )e regarded as one o the great architect!ral masterpieces o the 8orld5


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ignoring the act that Islam co!ld hardly ha(e inspired s!ch )eha(io!r


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!nderstood in ancient timesJ he had arri(ed at it )y decoding the sacred literat!re o pasages5n another occasion he had descri)ed Thoth as a )elie(er in the Copernicasystem5


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I reasoned that i ,e8ton had indeed had access to the same @treas!res o darkness@ anthe same @hidden riches@ as oses% then this 8o!ld imply at the (ery least the contin!oe9istence o(er a period o millennia o a clandestine sect or c!lt str!ct!red to pass on ae9cl!si(e and pri(ileged 8isdom5 This so!nded ar- etchedJ it 8as% ho8e(er% )y no meaimpossi)le5 >n the contrary% kno8ledge and skills had re?!ently and s!ccess !lly )eetrans erred do8n the generations and rom one region o the 8orld to another 8itho!t anyconcrete e(idence )eing a(aila)le to doc!ment the process5 or e9ample% 'ha)das% mathematician 8ho had li(ed in the city o Constantinople in the t8el th cent!ry AD% 8as kno8to ha(e !sed a method or deri(ing s?!are roots that had e9isted only in ancient .gypt more thant8o tho!sand years pre(io!sly and that had not% other8ise% )een employed else8here5< 0= Hand rom 8here% he had ac?!ired this techni?!e 8as not easy to e9plain5 +imilarly% I 8as (m!ch a8are that the transmission o esoteric in ormation% co!pled 8ith the teaching and sharo arcane rit!als and ceremonies% had occ!rred or cent!ries 8ithin the (ario!s asonic orde8itho!t any p!)lic record e(er )eing a(aila)le5

Charting the conto!rs o a gen!inely reticent sect 8as% there ore% a da!nting !ndertakB!t 8hat I o!nd more da!nting )y ar 8as the task o g!essing the real nat!re o the science antechnology that s!ch a long-li(ed and secreti(e instit!tion as the c!lt o Thoth might ha(e protected and preser(ed partic!larly i % as I s!spected% that science and technology horiginated in a historically remote and no8 !tterly o)literated c!lt!re5 As I 8rote in mynote)ook;

It 8o!ld )e a mistake to ass!me that o!r o8n t8entieth-cent!ry machinery andin(entions are any g!idelineJ on the contrary% i an ad(anced society did e9ist at some arch period% then its 8isdom is likely to ha(e )een ?!ite di erent rom anything 8ith 8hich 8e a

amiliar% and its machines co!ld reasona)ly )e e9pected to ha(e operated according to princip!nkno8n to !s5

A >,+T'> + I,+T' .,T

It 8as 8ith s!ch tho!ghts% as my research mo(ed on% that I o!nd mysel dra8n to tstrange passages in the >ld Testament )ooks o .9od!s and De!teronomy 8hich descri)ed theenco!nters )et8een God and oses on o!nt +inai5 Amidst th!nder and ire% electrical stormand clo!ds o smoke% ah8eh s!pposedly disclosed the )l!eprint o the Ark o the Co(enant the He)re8 mag!s and presented him 8ith the stone Ta)lets o the La8 inscri)ed 8ith the TenCommandments5 Then the Ark itsel 8as )!ilt )y the arti icer Be aleel 8ho sla(ishly ollo8ethe @di(ine@ plan% almost as tho!gh he kne8 that he 8as orging some monstro!s instr!ment5

And this% I s!spect% is 8hat the Ark really 8as; a monstro!s instr!ment capa)le oreleasing ear !l energies in an !ncontrolled and catastrophic manner i it 8as mishandled


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mis!sed in any 8ay an instr!ment that 8as not concei(ed in the mind o God% as the Bi)leteaches% )!t rather in the mind o oses5

A master sorcerer in an era 8hen sorcery and science 8ere indisting!isha)le rom oneanother% it is a ter all possi)le ld Testament5

+pec!lation on s!ch matters is s!rely healthy and or those readers 8ho are interestedin penetrating more deeply into the mystery I o er the ollo8ing hypotheses and con ect!as ood or tho!ght5

>TI6. A,D >::>'T ,IT

Ass!me or a moment that oses did indeed ha(e the technical kno8ledge to create @monstro!s instr!ment@ capa)le o destroying city 8alls


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8ere% at the time% at least t8o 8ell kno8n and m!ch- re?!ented trade ro!tes 8hich normallena)led tra(ellers to cross the deserts )et8een .gypt and Canaan in !st a e8 days5


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T8o h!ndred and i ty o the sons o Israel oined orces against oses and Aasaying% o! take too m!ch on yo!rsel(es The 8hole comm!nity and all its mem)ers areconsecrated% and ah8eh li(es among them% #hy set yo!rsel(es higher than the comm!nity o

ah8eh7


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2 He 8as cast adri t on the ,ile in a )asket made o papyr!s reeds coated 8ith )it!menand pitch5

3 He 8as @sa(ed rom 8ater@ )y the da!ghter o :haraoh5

4 He 8as reared in the royal ho!sehold 8here he learned @all the 8isdom o th.gyptians@ and )ecame an adept in sorcery% and almost certainly a High :riest5


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8riting in a strange pictographic alpha)et that% m!ch later% 8as pro(ed to ha(e )elonged to +emitic-Canaanite lang!age related to ancient He)re85


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gliding )rie ly le(el 8ith me )e ore it disappeared rom sight5 I remained there alone or a 8hin that pitiless and !ncompromising place% and I remem)er thinking that oses co!ld hardlyha(e chosen a more dramatic or a more appropriate location in 8hich to recei(e the TenCommandments rom the hand o God5

B!t is that really 8hat the He)re8 mag!s came to o!nt +inai to do7 It seems to me thatthere is an alternati(e scenario5 Co!ld it not )e that his tr!e p!rpose all along had )een to )!ildthe Ark o the Co(enant and to place inside it some great energy so!rce% the ra8 s!)stance o8hich he had kno8n that he 8o!ld )e a)le to ind on this partic!lar mo!ntain top7

This is a highly spec!lati(e thesis )!t it is spec!lation that 8e are ind!lging in hereand there is room or a little imaginati(e licence5 I oses had kno8n o the e9istence o so potent s!)stance on the peak o o!nt +inai% then 8hat might that s!)stance ha(e )een7

>ne s!ggestion p!t or8ard in a di erent conte9t in Chapter 3 is that the ta)lets ostone on 8hich God s!pposedly 8rote the Ten Commandments 8ere in act t8o pieces o ameteorite5

'esonant 8ith echoes o #ol ram@s Grail +tone


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mo!ntain and held a pri(ate con(ersation 8ith ah8eh% a con(ersation that 8as not 8itnessed )yanyone else5 +igni icantly% one o the irst instr!ctions that he s!pposedly recei(ed rom the8as this;

Tho! shalt set )o!nds !nto the people ro!nd a)o!t% saying% Take heed to yo!rsel(es thatye go not !p into the mo!nt% or to!ch the )order o it; #hoe(er to!ches the mo!ntain 8ill )e p!tto death 5 5 5 He m!st )e stoned or shot do8n )y arro8 5 5 5 he m!st not remain ali(e5


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#o!ld an omnipotent God ha(e re?!ired orty days and orty nights to deli(er t8o stoneta)lets to His prophet7 +!ch a lengthy period seems hardly necessary5 I % ho8e(er% oses not )een recei(ing @the ta)lets o the Testimony@ at all% )!t instead had )een man! act!rinre ining some compact stone-like energy so!rce to place inside the Ark% then he co!ld 8ell haneeded that m!ch time to inish the 8ork5

rom this perspecti(e% the @de(o!ring ire@ on the mo!ntain top that the Israeliteinterpreted as @the glory o ah8eh@ 8o!ld really ha(e )een the in ernal glo8 gi(en o8hate(er de(ices or chemical processes the prophet 8as !sing to achie(e his o) ecti(e5 Andaltho!gh this hypothesis so!nds ar- etched% it is s!rely not more so than the strange in ormaconcerning the ta)lets o stone that is contained in the >ld Testament% in the ishnah% in

idrash% in the Talm!d% and in the most archaic Ee8ish legends5

TABL.T+ > +T>,.7

The clearest descriptions o the ta)lets are contained in the Talm!dic- idrashic so!rces8hich yield the ollo8ing in ormation;


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ragments o the di(ine5 rom the )i)lical (ie8point nothing more precio!s had e(er )eenentr!sted to mortal man5 >ne 8o!ld ha(e tho!ght that oses 8o!ld ha(e looked a ter them5 Hedid not do so% ho8e(er5 Instead% in a it o pi?!e% he )roke these p!re and per ect gi ts5

#hy did he do this incomprehensi)le thing7 According to the e9planation gi(en in.9od!s it 8as )eca!se the per idio!s Israelites had lost hope that he 8o!ld e(er ret!rn a ter his

orty days on the mo!ntain and had ashioned a golden cal % 8hich they 8ere 8orshippiArri(ing in the camp oses then ca!ght them in lagrante delicto o ering sacri ices and dancand prostrating themsel(es )e ore the idol5 At the sight o this grotes?!e apostasy the prophe@anger 8a9ed hot and he thre8 do8n the ta)lets that he 8as holding and )roke them at the oot othe mo!ntain5


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The idea that the glo8 or shine on oses@s skin might in act ha(e )een ca!sed )y somsort o )!rn is o co!rse p!rely spec!lati(e5 There is no s!pport or it in the Bi)le5 ,e(erthelessit seems to me to )e a per ectly reasona)le ded!ction as reasona)le as any other rom thesmall amo!nt o e(idence that is a(aila)le there5 The description o the prophet@s descent the mo!ntain 8ith the second set o ta)lets is limited to !st se(en (erses in Chapter 34 o

.9od!s5+T T' TH+

It 8o!ld )e possi)le to spec!late endlessly a)o!t the tr!e character o the Ark o theCo(enant and o its contents5 I ha(e gone as ar as I 8ish to do8n this partic!lar road5'eaders 8ho 8o!ld like to go !rther% ho8e(er% might ind it interesting to consider irst tmaterials rom 8hich the Ark 8as made5 H!ge ?!antities o gold seem to ha(e )een !sed andgold% as 8ell as )eing )ea!ti !l and no)le% is also chemically non-reacti(e and e9ceptionaldense5 In partic!lar the @mercy seat@ 8hich ser(ed as the lid o the relic 8as )elie(ed )y olearned ra))i


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@sparks@5


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In the mid-a ternoon o Th!rsday 4 >cto)er 1 I entered the old 8alled city oEer!salem thro!gh the Ea a Gate5 A ter passing >mar I)n el-$hata) +?!are% 8ith its pleasca Qs and ha8kers@ stands% a )e8ildering ma e o narro8 streets pa(ed 8ith ancient costones lay ahead o me5

A e8 years earlier this 8hole area 8o!ld ha(e )een seething 8ith shoppers andsightseersJ no8% ho8e(er% it 8as almost deserted5 The :alestinian inti ada% and recent threaIra? to @)!rn@ Israel 8ith +c!d missiles% had )een eno!gh to dri(e (irt!ally all oreigners a8ay5

To my right% as I 8alked% 8as the Armenian /!arter and% to my le t% the Christian /!adominated )y the Ch!rch o the Holy +ep!lchre5 #ithin this great edi ice 8as the Chapel o thIn(ention o the Cross 8hich the (ictorio!s !slim general +aladin at the re?!est o $ingLali)ela had granted to the .thiopian comm!nity o Eer!salem a ter the Cr!saders had )eene9pelled rom the city in AD 110*5


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8here certain legends s!ggested that the Ark had )een concealed shortly )e ore the destr!ctiono +olomon@s Temple5


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nothing o(er8helming a)o!t this tall and per ect mon!ment5 >n the contrary it con(eyed acomple9 eeling o lightness and grace co!pled 8ith an !nderstated )!t reass!ring strength5

This irst impression 8as enhanced and completed )y the interior o the )!ilding% 8hic?!ite literally took my )reath a8ay5 The soaring ceiling% the col!mns and arches s!pporting thinner octagon% the (ario!s niches and recesses% the mosaics% the inscriptions all these elemand many more melded together in a s!)lime harmony o proportion and design that ga(elo?!ent e9pression to h!manity@s yearning or the di(ine and that proclaimed that yearning to )oth no)le and pro o!nd5

y glance had )een dra8n !p8ards 8hen I entered !p8ards into the c!pola% thearthest reaches o 8hich 8ere lost in the cool darkness o(erhead5 ,o8% ho8e(er% as tho!g

attracted )y some po8er !l magnetic orce% I elt my attention t!gged do8n again to8ards t(ery centre o the mos?!e 8here a h!ge ta8ny rock perhaps thirty eet across% lat in plac agged in others% lay directly )eneath the dome5

This 8as the +hetiyyah and% as I approached it% I 8as a8are that my heart 8as )eatin

more ?!ickly than !s!al and that my )reathing seemed la)o!red5 It 8as not di ic!lt to!nderstand 8hy the ancients had tho!ght o this great )o!lder as the o!ndation-stone o th8orld or to see 8hy +olomon had chosen it as the centrepiece o his Temple5 'o!gh-te9t!red andasymmetrical% it !tted o!t a)o(e the )edrock o o!nt oriah as solid and as !nshaka)le as theearth itsel 5

A car(ed 8ooden railing s!rro!nded the 8hole central area% )!t into one corner o thisrailing 8as set a shrine thro!gh 8hich I 8as allo8ed to p!sh my hand to to!ch the +hetiyyah5 Itste9t!re% smoothed do8n )y the caresses o co!ntless generations o pilgrims )e ore me% slick% almost glasslike% and I stood there% lost in my o8n tho!ghts% drinking in thro!gh theo my ingers the immense anti?!ity o this strange and 8onder !l stone5 Tho!gh it 8as perha small (ictory% it ne(ertheless meant a great deal to me to )e in this place and to sa(o!r thimoment o ?!iet re lection at the so!rce o the mystery that I so!ght to sol(e5

.(ent!ally I 8ithdre8 my hand and contin!ed my circ!it o the +hetiyyah5 At one side astair8ay led do8n to a deep hollo8 )eneath the stone a ca(e-like cist kno8n to the !slimsas Bir el-A r8eh% the @#ell o +o!ls@5 Here% according to the aith !l% the (oices o the dsometimes )e heard mingled 8ith the so!nds o the ri(ers o paradise5 As I entered% ho8e(erco!ld hear nothing e9cept the m!rm!red prayers o the hal -do en or so pilgrims 8ho ha preceded me and 8ho 8ere no8 sl!mped in o)eisance on the cold rock loor in(oking inmelli l!o!s Ara)ic the name o Allah% the Compassionate% the erci !l a deity 8ho prophets% long )e ore the time o !hammad% had incl!ded A)raham and oses and 8ho% ina)sol!te and !ncompromising oneness% 8as in no 8ay di erent rom ah8eh% the God oArk5< =

I already kne8 that a n!m)er o Ee8ish and Islamic legends spoke o a sealed and secre passage )eneath the #ell o +o!ls leading into the )o8els o the earth% 8here the Ark has!pposedly )een concealed at the time o the destr!ction o +olomon@s Temple and 8hemany )elie(ed that it rested still% g!arded )y spirits and demons5ne (ariant o the tale that might partic!la


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ha(e e9cited their interest p!rported to )e an eye8itness acco!nt )y a certain @Bar!ch@ o inter(ention )y an @angel o the Lord@ only moments )e ore the Ba)ylonian army )roke intTemple;

And I sa8 him descend into the Holy o Holies% and take rom it the (eil% and the HArk% and its co(er% and the t8o ta)lets 5 5 5 And he cried to the earth in a lo!d (oice% @.arthearth% hear the 8ord o the mighty

God% and recei(e 8hat I commit to yo!% and g!ard them !ntil the last times% so that% 8yo! are ordered% yo! may restore them% and strangers may not get possession o them 5 5 the earth opened its mo!th and s8allo8ed them !pn the contrary it 8as% rom )eginnto end% a 8ork o imaginati(e iction 8hich% despite its eerie and e(ocati(e tone% possessehistorical merit 8hatsoe(er5nly i I 8asstill con ident o the )asic merit o the .thiopian claim a ter I had completed that e9ercise 8oI inally commit mysel to the A9!m ad(ent!re5 The Ean!ary 1 1 Timkat ceremonials at 8hiI hoped that the o) ect )elie(ed to )e the Ark 8o!ld )e carried in procession 8ere% ho8e(er% lesthan o!r months a8ay5 I 8as there ore ac!tely a8are that my time 8as r!nning o!t5

#HAT H> +. CA, > B ILD .7


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The installation o the Ark in the Temple o +olomon% 8hich as I had alreadesta)lished m!st ha(e taken place aro!nd the year "" BC%


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And +olomon sent or Hiram o TyreJ he 8as the son o a 8ido8 o the tri)e o ,aphtal5 5 and he 8as illed 8ith 8isdom% and !nderstanding% and c!nning to 8ork all 8orks )ron e


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This s!spicion deepened% !rthermore% 8hen I t!rned )ack to the Bi)le to ind that onethe )ron e items o Temple !rnit!re that Hiram 8as said to ha(e )!ilt 8as the +ea o cast metalten c!)its rom rim to rim% circ!lar in shape and i(e c!)its highJ a cord thirty c!)its long ga(the meas!rement o its girth 5 5 5 It 8as a hands)readth in thickness% and its rim 8as shaped the rim o a c!p% like a lo8er5 It held t8o tho!sand )aths5


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A ter a painstaking search% I 8as a)le to con irm that the 8ord @+hamir@ appeareo!r times in the >ld and ,e8 Testaments


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An o)(io!s ans8er to the last ?!estion 8hich% i correct% 8o!ld completely in(alidatethe .thiopian claim 8as that the Ark co!ld ha(e )een taken )y orce rom the Temple d!ringone o the se(eral military catastrophes that Israel s! ered a ter the death o +olomon5

The irst o these catastrophes occ!rred in 2& BC d!ring the !ns!ccess !l reign +olomon@s son 'eho)oam5


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the Ark% e(en i it had still )een there in 12& BCJ instead they 8o!ld ha(e consisted o arsacred items% mainly p!)lic and royal donations dedicated to ah8eh5 +!ch items% norma?!ite precio!s and made o sil(er and gold% 8ere not stored in the Holy o Holies )!t rather in to!ter precincts o the Temple in special treas!ries that 8ere al8ays mentioned in the >ldTestament con ointly 8ith the treas!ries o the king@s ho!se5


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e(en on the irst occasion% in " 0 BC%


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> co!rse% in this translation% the terms @inner shrine@% @de)itF and @Holy o H!sed interchangea)ly to re er to the same sacred place i5e5 the place in 8hich the Ark had )eeinstalled )y +olomon so many cent!ries )e orence I had satis ied mysel that that indeed the case% a single signi icant act s!ddenly )ecame clear to me; 8hile not looting the Ho Holies% ,e)!chadne ar had nonetheless remo(ed its door-sockets5 rom this it 8as sa e

ded!ce that the doors had )een taken o their hinges and that the Ba)ylonian monarch or thsoldiers 8ho had carried o!t his orders 8o!ld th!s ha(e )een a)le to look right into the de)ir5

I reali ed immediately that this 8as an important% indeed a cr!cial% inding5 Ga ingthe inner sanct!m the Ba)ylonians sho!ld immediately ha(e )een a)le to see the t8o giantcher!)im% o(erlaid 8ith gold% that +olomon had placed as sentinels o(er the Ark and thesho!ld also ha(e )een a)le to see the Ark itsel 5 +ince they had sho8n no comp!nction inremo(ing the gold rom the !rnishings o the hekal it there ore had to )e asked 8hy they had immediately r!shed into the de)ir to strip the ar larger ?!antities o gold rom its 8alls and rothe cher!)im% and 8hy they had not taken the Ark as )ooty5

The Ba)ylonians had demonstrated that they held the Ee8s and their religion incomplete contempt5n the contrary all the e(idence s!ggested that i they had indeed )een con ronte )y rich pickings like the Ark% and the gold o(erlay on the 8alls and on the cher!)im% th ,e)!chadne ar and his men 8o!ld !nhesitatingly ha(e helped themsel(es to the lot5

#hat made this e(en more pro)a)le 8as that it had )een the normal practice o theBa)ylonians at this time to sei e the principal idols or c!lt-o) ects o the peoples they hcon?!ered and to transport them )ack to Ba)ylon to place in their o8n temple )e ore the stat!eo their god ard!k5


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A ter the s!ccess !l operation o " 0 BC he had installed a p!ppet king% edekiah% othrone5n that occasion ,e)!chadne ar had le t the )ron e items in place )!t had remo(edthe @treas!res o the ho!se o the Lord% and the treas!res o the king@s ho!se@ and had also all the gold rom the !rnishings o the hekal5 This 8as 8hy% ele(en years l ,e)! aradan@s ha!l o gold and sil(er had consisted only o a e8 censers and sprinkli )o8ls;


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alternati(e e9planations or 8hat had happened any o 8hich% i s! iciently strong% m pro(e atal to the .thiopian case and all o 8hich there ore had to )e considered on their merits

@D..: A,D T>'T > + CACH.+ 5 5 5@

The irst point that )ecame clear to me 8as that the Ee8s as a people had only )ecomeconscio!s o the loss o the Ark and conscio!s that this loss 8as a great mystery at the timeo the )!ilding o the +econd Temple5

I 8as already a8are that in " 0 BC ,e)!chadne ar had sent into e9ile in Ba)ylon alarge n!m)er o the inha)itants o Eer!salem5


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I I do not remem)er thee% let my tong!e clea(e to the roo o my mo!thJ i I pre eEer!salem a)o(e my chie oy5


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collecti(ely as a single o) ect= that had possi)ly )een !sed or di(ining and that had )een kept ithe )reast-plate o the High :riest in the time o oses5 They 8ere not present in the +econTemple5 ,either 8as the celestial ire that had al8ays )een associated 8ith the Ark o theCo(enant5

And o co!rse the Ark itsel 8as also missing together 8ith its thick golden co(er andthe t8o golden cher!)im that had )een mo!nted !pon it5


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An entirely separate acco!nt o the concealment o the relic 8as p!t or8ard in thsecond )ook o acca)ees 9 ord Dictionary o the Christian Chlike8ise regarded the passage as )eing o no historical (al!e5raternity in the Temple=


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>!tside o the Talm!d% the ishnah% the Apocalypse o Bar!ch% the second )ookacca)ees% and (ario!s rather colo!r !l legends% there is nothing o any s!)stance in Ee8i

tradition concerning the 8herea)o!ts o the Ark o the Co(enant5 +ince it no8 seems certain thit 8as not looted )y +hishak or Eehoash or ,e)!chadne ar% it there ore ollo8s that the onalternati(es to the claim that it is in A9!m are cto)er% I attempted to go )ack to take a secolook at the Temple o!nt% and to (isit some e9ca(ations that I kne8 8ere in progress !sto!tside the sacred precincts% perhaps a h!ndred metres to the so!th o the Al-A?sa os?!e5 Aapproached% ho8e(er 8alking along the city 8all rom Da(id@s To8er to the D!ng Gate the so!nd o g!n ire and o people screaming ore8arned me that something had gone serio!8rong5

D.ATH >, TH. > ,T

#hat I had 8alked into s!)se?!ently came to )e kno8n as the @Temple o!nt massacre@%and altho!gh it represented the coming to a head o years o hatred )et8een the Ee8s and thAra)s o Eer!salem% its pro9imate ca!se 8as a demonstration )y an !ltra-conser(ati(e ionisgro!p kno8n as the @Temple o!nt aith !l@5 The large )anner that they carried as they marc!p to the oghra)i Gate )ore a +tar o Da(id and a pro(ocati(e inscription in He)re8 8hichs!mmari ed the key iss!e or all concerned5 That inscription read;

T. :L. > ,T TH. + B>L > > '

:.>:L. I+ I, TH.

HA,D+ > > ' .,. I.+

#hat the demonstrators hoped to do 8as to enter the Temple o!nt itsel thro!gh theoghra)i Gate% march !p to the Dome o the 'ock% and there lay the cornerstone or a propo


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Third Temple5 This am)ition% o)(io!sly% 8as packed 8ith political dynamite; since 8ork )egaon the constr!ction o the Dome o the 'ock in the se(enth cent!ry AD% the 8hole o the Temp

o!nt area had )een a sacred site o immense importance to Islam as 8ell as to E!daism5oreo(er% m!ch to the chagrin o gro!ps like the @Temple o!nt aith !l@% it is the !slims

are in possession o that site 8hich has contained no Ee8ish place o 8orship since th

destr!ction o the +econd Temple )y the 'omans in AD * 5 #ishing to de end this stat!s ?!o against 8hat m!st ha(e looked to them like a gen!ine threat an estimated i(e tho!sandmilitant Ara)s had gathered inside the 8alls o the Temple o!nt and had armed themsel(es8ith stones 8hich they planned to h!rl do8n at the approaching ionists5

The atmosphere 8as th!s highly charged 8ith emotion 8hen the Temple o!nt aith !l )egan their march on onday 0 >cto)er5 And 8hat added enormo!sly to the tension 8as thelocation o the oghra)i Gate thro!gh 8hich they intended to pass5 >pening o!t into the maincompo!nd less than i ty metres rom the ront porch o the Al-A?sa os?!e% this gate is into the so!thern end o the #estern #all the e9posed e9terior o 8hich% kno8n as the@#ailing #all@% is today the single most important Ee8ish holy place5 Dating )ack to +eTemple times% it is part o a retaining )!ttress )!ilt )y Herod the Great in the late irst cent!rBC5 It escaped demolition )y the 'omans in AD *


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Disg!sted and depressed I e(ent!ally le t the area% clim)ing !p the steps that led into thEe8ish /!arter o the old city and crossing into the +treet o the Chain along 8hich I had8alked a e8 days pre(io!sly on my irst (isit to the Temple o!nt5 Here I sa8 !rthergrat!ito!s (iolence as the police% carrying g!ns and tr!ncheons% ro!nded !p :alestinians 8homthey s!spected o ha(ing )een amongst the rioters5 >ne yo!ng man% protesting his innocence i

high-pitched and terri ied (oice% 8as repeatedly p!nched and slappedJ another ran at )reak-nespeed into a narro8 alley 8here he 8as cornered and )eaten )e ore )eing dragged a8ay5

Altogether% it had )een a most !npleasant morning and it cast a )light o(er the rest o mstay in Eer!salem5 This 8as so not only )eca!se o the h!man s! ering that c!rrent e(ents hano8 directly linked to the place 8here the Ark had once stood% )!t also )eca!se the Temple

o!nt and the e9ca(ations to the so!th o it remained sealed o )y the sec!rity orces !ntil lona ter I had le t Israel5 Despite these ina!spicio!s omens% ho8e(er% I 8as determined not to 8any o the e8 days remaining to me in that !nhappy co!ntry% and I there ore contin!ed 8ith in(estigation as )est I co!ld5

DIGGI,G : +AC'.D :LAC.+

The immediate ?!estion that I 8as seeking to ans8er 8as the one that I had otted do8nin my note)ook on the night o +at!rday & >cto)er; had any e orts )een made )y archaeologito dig at the Temple o!nt% or at o!nt ,e)o% in order to test the Ee8ish traditions a)o!t the lastresting place o the Ark7

I )egan 8ith the e9ca(ations that I had tried !ns!ccess !lly to (isit on the morning o 0>cto)er5 Tho!gh I co!ld not no8 gain access to them% I 8as a)le to meet 8ith some o the

archaeologists in(ol(ed in them and to research their indings5 #hat I learned 8as that propedigging had started here in e)r!ary 1 &0 some eight months a ter Israeli paratroopers hasei ed control o Eer!salem in the +i9 Day #ar5 And altho!gh all the e9ca(ations 8ere sa eo!tside the sacred precincts o the Temple o!nt they had )een a oc!s o contro(ersy rom th(ery )eginning5 According to eir Ben-Do(% ield Director o the dig% early opposition c

rom mem)ers o the Higher !slim Co!ncil% 8ho s!spected a plot against their interests5 @e9ca(ations are not in act a scienti ic (ent!re%@ they complained% @their ionist o) ecti(eto !ndermine the so!thern 8all o the Temple o!nt% 8hich is like8ise the so!thern 8all o theAl-A?sa os?!e% as a 8ay o destroying the mos?!e5@


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The strongest opposition o all came rom the Ee8ish religio!s a!thorities 8hoseagreement to the dig 8as re?!ired )y the go(ernment )e ore any 8ork co!ld )egin5 :ro essor

a ar o the Archaeological Instit!te o the He)re8 ni(ersity led the negotiations 8ith the+ephardi and Ashkena i Chie 'a))is )oth o 8hom t!rned him do8n lat 8hen he irstapproached them in 1 &*;

The +ephardi Chie 'a))i% 'a))i ,issim% e9plained his re !sal )y the act that the area oo!r proposed dig 8as a holy place5 #hen asked to el!cidate his ans8er !rther% he intimated tha8e might pro(e that the #ailing #all 8as not in act the 8estern 8all o the Temple o!nt5Besides% 8hat point 8as there in taking the chance and cond!cting a dig or scienti ic p!rpo8hen they 8ere irrele(ant any8ay7 >n the other hand the Ashkena i Chie 'a))i% 'a))i

nterman% agoni ed o(er halakhic pro)lems


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@+ince modern archaeology emerged%@ he told me )l!ntly% @no e ort has )een minside the Temple o!nt5@

@#hy7@ I asked5

@Beca!se it@s the !ltimate sacred site5 The !slim a!thorities are !tterly opposed to akind o scienti ic in(estigations )eing !ndertaken there5 It 8o!ld )e the 8orst kind o sacrilegrom their point o (ie85 +o the Temple o!nt remains a riddle or archaeology5 ost o 8h8e kno8 a)o!t it is theoretical and interpreti(e5 Archaeologically 8e only ha(e the indings oCharles #arren5 And :arker o co!rse5 He act!ally did dig inside the Dome o the 'ock in1 1 i I remem)er correctly5 B!t he 8asn@t an archaeologist5 He 8as a l!natic5 He 8as look

or the Ark o the Co(enant5@

I 8as not s!re rom this statement 8hether Barkai had descri)ed :arker as a @l!natic )eca!se he had looked or the ArkJ or 8hether he had looked or the Ark )eca!se he had )een l!naticJ or 8hether his l!nacy had )een mani estly apparent )e ore he had started to dig insidthe Dome o the 'ock5 This% ho8e(er% seemed like an e9cellent opport!nity to re rain

mentioning that I% too% 8as looking or the Ark5 I there ore con ined mysel to askiarchaeologist 8here I might ind o!t more a)o!t :arker and a)o!t Charles #arren% the othername he had mentioned5

A co!ple o days o archi(e research ollo8ed% d!ring 8hich I learned that #arren ha )een a yo!ng lie!tenant in Britain@s 'oyal .ngineers 8ho had )een commissioned )y theLondon-)ased :alestine .9ploration !nd to e9ca(ate the Temple o!nt in the year 10&*5 His8ork% ho8e(er% had )een con ined to m!ch the same areas o!tside and to the so!th o thsacred precincts that 8ere to )e more thoro!ghly in(estigated a cent!ry later )y eir Ben-Do( and his colleag!es5ttoman T!rks 8ho thenadministered Eer!salem5 oreo(er% on the one occasion 8hen he had managed to c!t a t!nnnorth8ards and to )!rro8 !nder the e9terior 8alls% the sledgehammers and other tools !sed )yhis la)o!rers had dist!r)ed the prayers o the aith !l going on a)o(e them in the Al-A?sa

os?!e5 The res!lt had )een a hail o stones% a riot% and orders rom I et :asha% the go(erthe city% that the dig sho!ld )e s!spended orth-8ith5ttomans to let him go )ack to 8ork again5 He had s!)se?!ently made se(eral other clandestineattempts to t!nnel )eneath the Temple o!nt% 8here he had planned to @locate and map all tancient remains@ that he might enco!nter5


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:arker@s e9pedition% later politely descri)ed )y the reno8ned British archaeolog$athleen $enyon as @e9ceptional )y any standards@%


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A?sa os?!e 8here E!(eli!s and the Irish clair(oyant )oth )elie(ed that the Ark had )een )!ried5 These e orts pro(ed entirely r!itless% ho8e(er% and in the small ho!rs o the morni10 April 1 11 :arker s8itched his attentions to the Dome o the 'ock% and to the legendarca(erns s!pposed to lie ar )elo8 the +hetiyyah5

In those days the staircase leading do8n to the @#ell o +o!ls@ had not yet )een instaland :arker and his team had to lo8er themsel(es and their e?!ipment )y means o ropes asteneto the +hetiyyah itsel 5 They then lit storm lanterns and )egan to hack a8ay at the loor o grotto in the hope that they might th!s gain access to the lasting resting place o the Ark5

Disaster str!ck )e ore they had e(en )eg!n to esta)lish 8hether other hollo8s lay )eneath them5 Tho!gh +heikh $halil% the hereditary g!ardian% had )een )o!ght o % anmos?!e attendant !ne9pectedly appeared


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o acca)ees% the prophet Eeremiah had concealed the sacred relic !st )e ore the destr!ctio+olomon@s Temple5

The prime mo(er on this occasion 8as an eccentric American e9plorer 8ho liked to dress!p in lo8ing Ara) ro)es and 8ho% tho!gh male% 8ent )y the c!rio!s name o Antonia rederic

!tterer5 A ter thoro!ghly s!r(eying o!nt ,e)o TH. C>6.,A,T

n ort!nately !tterer 8o!ld not name the scholar 8ho had prod!ced this translationJnor% in the !rore that ollo8ed% did anyone step or8ard to claim that hono!rJ nor 8as !tts!)se?!ently a)le to prod!ce the copy that he claimed to ha(e made o the inscriptionJ nor did hee(er go )ack to o!nt ,e)o to retrie(e the Ark rom its alleged secret passage5


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)o8els o the earth5 There they came across a 8all e9actly like the one that !tterer hadescri)ed and% 8itho!t !rther ado% they )roke it do8n5

Beyond it 8as a rock-he8n crypt meas!ring ro!ghly se(en eet )y se(en eet andcontaining% according to Crotser% a gold-co(ered rectang!lar chest meas!ring si9ty-t8o inclong% thirty-se(en inches 8ide and thirty-se(en inches high5 Beside it% apparently% 8ere car poles e9actly matching the )i)lical description o the carrying poles o the Ark o the Co(enaAnd o to one side lay cloth-8rapped packages 8hich Crotser ass!med to )e the cher!)im thatin times gone )y% had )een mo!nted !pon the mercy seat5

The Americans 8ere certain that they had o!nd the sacred relic5 They did not remo(e neither did they to!ch it or open itJ !sing lash-g!ns% ho8e(er% they did take colo!r photograo it5 Then they le t Eordan and ret!rned to the +A 8here they immediately in ormed the pagency :I a)o!t their disco(ery5 The res!lt 8as an internationally syndicated ne8s story8hich% according to the o!rnalist responsi)le% @got more play than anything I 8rote inli e5@)(io!sly the photographs taken in the crypt 8erecr!cial e(idence that might (indicate the sensational claim that the Americans had made is!ita)ly ?!ali ied )i)lical archaeologists 8ere gi(en the opport!nity to st!dy them5 It 8asthere ore di ic!lt to !nderstand 8hy Crotser stead astly re !sed to release these pict!resanyone5 e8 8ere con(inced )y his arg!ment that God had instr!cted him to gi(e them only tothe London )anker Da(id 'othschild 8ho% he said% 8as a direct descendant o Ees!s Christ ahad )een chosen )y the Lord to )!ild the Third Temple in 8hich the Ark o the Co(enant%retrie(ed rom its hiding place% 8o!ld occ!py centre stage5


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a modern style o head co!ld )e seen protr!ding o!t o the !pper right corner o the ront o )o95


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a trip d!ring 8hich I 8o!ld ha(e to p!t my o8n li e at risk5 The insistence that the /!een o+he)a had )een an .thiopian and the linked pretence that she had )orne a son to $ing +olomon8ho% in d!e co!rse% had a)d!cted the Ark rom Eer!salem% had more the ring o prepost

ictions than o so)er tr!ths5 To )e s!re% I had !nco(ered a great deal o e(idence in .thiopia pers!asi(e e(idence 8hich did lend considera)le s!pport to the notion that the relic might

really lie in the sanct!ary chapel in A9!m5 And no8 I had satis ied mysel that no other locatico!ld hope to present a more con(incing case5 That% ho8e(er% 8as less a re lection ostrength o the $e)ra ,agast@s acco!nt o ho8 the Ark had got to .thiopia than o the 8eakneso the alternati(es5

Be ore inally committing mysel to going to A9!m% there ore% I elt that I neededa more con(incing e9planation than that o ered in the $e)ra ,agast o ho8 @the most importao) ect in the 8orld in the Bi)lical (ie8@cto)er 1 I had o!nd that e9planation ashall reco!nt in the ne9t chapter5

CHA:T.' 1"

HIDD., HI+T>'

A ter a painstaking in(estigation% I had satis ied mysel that .thiopia@s claim to )e theresting place o the lost Ark 8as not challenged )y any partic!larly strong or striking alternati(eThat inding% ho8e(er% had not )een the only o!tcome o my research5 As I 8rote in note)ook;

,o one 8ho has ollo8ed the story o the Ark rom its constr!ction at the oot o o!n+inai !ntil the moment o its deposition in +olomon@s Temple 8o!ld serio!sly disp!te that

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